#l&ds zayne x reader

[strwberri-milk]

Good Day dear and I hope this message finds you well; Let me first thank you for the Fanfics and time you dedicated to each one, trust that I read most of your content and feel very grateful for it.

I hope you get to have times of ample rests, roof over your head, heartiest of meals and warm kind-hearted souls come your way.

I am not one to boldly ask but for this once I shall; May you perhaps write and angst for the love and deepspace boys about a reader who has died in line of duty as Tara presents them a burial flag from the Hunter’s Association?

I read your terms prior requesting and hope I was able to abide by it; You may decline should you find it distasteful, if it does make the cut please take your time crafting it should it pique your fancy.

🥹🥹 I love you dear and hope for your best wellbeing.

thank you!! im glad you like mt stuff that much <333 very flattered

He will never forgive himself. Even if he knows logically (Rafayel, Sylus, Zayne) there was nothing he could have done to save you from your death just the fact that he wasn't there will always haunt him. Xavier takes your death hard as well, constantly replaying the day over and over in his mind.

When a flag is presented at his door, Tara's face tearstreaked as she mumbles the softest apology she can manage he definitely feels his knees go weak. He doesn't say anything at all at first, simply staring at the fabric that was meant to be some poor facsimile for you before looking back up at Tara in sheer disbelief.

Denial hits him hard. He can't help plan your funeral or even acknowledge the fact that you've died. Instead, he stays in your bed all day and tries to rationalise the hell he's living in, convincing himself that this is all just a bad dream. The funeral itself is awful for him. He doesn't really respond, staring despondently as they lower your casket into the ground. He can barely speak as people try to offer him their condolences, focused more on just how...cold he feels.

Xavier and Rafayel respond with anger. Xavier shuts down even more, becoming incredibly anti-social and honestly, might just quit being a formal Hunter totally. He doesn't need the team to achieve his goal after all and now he's basically waiting out his days until his body gives in to the strain of life. He hunts Wanderers with a vengeance, totally AWOL as he tries to honour your memory through sweeps of his blade.

Rafayel has always been cold and aloof but after your death even more so. Thomas can't talk to him, people can't even enter his exhibitions - he stops hosting them. He'll just waste away in his home, painting your likeness over and over as he tells Thomas to just leave him alone. He fully isolates himself, devoting his entire being to his goal of saving Lemuria because thinking of you hurts far too much. He almost acts like you've never existed but it's a lie - his entire being burns with need for you and every time he looks at his chest he sobs with the memory that his bond will never light up again.

Zayne and Sylus will never stop mourning. Zayne throws himself back into work, doing nothing but research and surgeries. He casually pulls 72 hour days, not bothering to sleep because whenever he closes his eyes, all he sees is your body being lowered. He seems calm and collected on the outside but his normally immaculate office is a mess, papers strewn about as various pills and drinks meant to help him stay away litter every surface.

Sylus gets more brutal with his means, not caring what people say or do. There's no more begging for his forgiveness or asking if he'll go easy on you. Nothing in his life matters anymore because you aren't there to hold his hand. He's cold and callous, and nothing is spared from the sadness that leeches his entire being. The N109 Zone is more terrified than ever, knowing that there's nothing sparing anybody from certain death if they come face to face with Sylus.

[myntrose]

What gift ?

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ in which you thank the l&ds boys for a gift that they didn't actually get you

a/n: first time making content for l&ds !! The boys have been my current obsession, and while I still have horrible authors block, I still wanted to make this. First time making SMAU too, so hope y'all enjoy !!

content warning : I suck at English to ignore the bad grammar, wrote at 1 am so not proof read, probably a bit ooc, the boys being jealous, fem reader, established relationship, lots of petnames

ft: Zayne, Xavier, Rafayel, Sylus x reader (separate)

love and deepspace master list

₊˚｡⋆❆⋆｡˚₊ zayne

𓆩✧𓆪 xavier

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 rafayel

𓅂:.｡. slyus

@myntrose 2025 - do not copy or translate

[odoraful]

𝑻𝑶𝑼𝑪𝑯𝑺𝑻𝑨𝑹𝑽𝑬𝑫 ᯓ 𝒁𝑨𝒀𝑵𝑬

⟡ content: gn!reader ; established relationship (i wanna say early relationship, maybe the first time he travels away from you) ; kissing ; zayne showering you with affection as soon as he possibly can ; tooth-rooting fluff ; mildly suggestive, but nothing too crazy ; 0.9k wc ⟡ a/n : trying to practice writing physical affection and i have some ideas for the other boys so i might write more touchstarved scenes hehe i hope you enjoy reading, mwah !

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Travelling for the week to attend a conference meant that Zayne had a fairly packed schedule. However, the days always passed excruciatingly slow when he was apart from you. He did make the effort to keep in contact. Nights were reserved for calls with you, even if it was only for an hour or so before tiredness overcame him. However, waking up without you curled beside him meant he could never really shake off the fatigue. When the day finally came for his return to Linkon, Zayne’s heart stirred as he passed the familiar streets of the city, all leading back to you.

To properly welcome your boyfriend back, you arrived at his house ready with sweets and affection. You were neatly arranging a plate of macarons from one of Zayne’s favourite patisserie when the doorbell chimed. You hurried over to the front door, your slippers tapping against the polished floors. A holographic intercom appeared showing who was outside.

Zayne wore his classic black dress shirt and pants, the shirt having its top button undone to reveal his collarbone. The small rolling suitcase beside him held a familiar luggage tag that you decorated for him.

“Observing me through the intercom?”

Zayne voice was crackly through the microphone. His head was cocked in light amusement, staring directly into the camera. He knew your MO far too well. You tapped on the button to allow your voice to be heard.

“You always need to check whether the person at the door is who you’re expecting,” you answered, watching his holographic image.

He blinked away with a soft smile tugging at his lips. “Then, I hope I’m the right person.”

You closed the intercom and unlocked the door, meeting him face to face. To Zayne, seeing you at last was like feeling the sun warm his skin up in the morning. You presence urged him awake, and he felt his liveliness return once more. You were grinning, joy sparkling in your eyes as you spoke,

“Mhm, you’re the right one for me.”

Without speaking, Zayne opened his arms out, almost guided by some kind of gravitational pull towards you. His arms circled your waist as he rested his head against yours, breathing in the faint, perfumed scent of shampoo. You cradled against his chest and his heart stuttered. It felt so natural, like you were always meant to be in his embrace. A sigh fell from his lips, complete relief at being able to hold you again.

After a few content moments, he pulled away, straightening himself. He realized he hadn’t showered yet and needed to do so before anything further happened.

You closed the door as Zayne walked inside. He immediately noticed the plate of macarons on the table, the washed and fluffed pillows on his sofa, the bouquet of fresh flowers sitting in a glass vase. Traces of your kindness that he had missed dearly.

“I’ll wash up first.” Zayne said, before entering his bedroom. “Don’t worry about my luggage, I can sort it myself.” He collected a set of loungewear from his wardrobe and a towel before disappearing into the bathroom.

You sat on the sofa to wait for him, scrolling through Moments posts on your phone. Your gaze kept wandering towards the plate of macarons in front of you. They looked too enticing for you not to try. Surely Zayne wouldn’t mind if you had a little taste first.

As if on cue, he appeared, towel in hand as he dried off his hair. He caught you with a sheepish expression on your face and a half-eaten macaron in your hand. You quickly placed it back on the plate as he loomed over you. If there was anyone serious about sweets, it would be him.

“I’m sorry I tried it without you, they were just—”

Zayne tossed the towel to the side and leaned in, stealing your apology from being spoken.

A familiar warmth blossomed between you as his lips captured yours. A week was far too long and he had spent much of his downtime thinking of this exact moment. His gentle hands cupped your face as he moved in closer still, raising his knee up to rest by your thigh.

“Zayne!” you voice was a squeaked muffle as your head met the back of the sofa, the soft backing cushioning the impact.

“Mhm,” he answered in a low tone, enjoying the way you said his name.

His tongue pressed between your lips—coaxing you to satiate his hunger. You parted your mouth, giving him permission to indulge. Zayne wasn’t someone you’d describe as spontaneous, yet times like these always caught you off guard. Though, it definitely wasn’t unwelcome. Admittedly, you had been craving this in his absence also.

He pulled away, admiring the flush on your cheeks as if you had been in the shower instead of him.

“Strawberry matcha,” he said, subtly licking his lips. He could taste remnants of a mild earthiness combined with fragrant berry. “Is my guess correct?”

You let out a breath of disbelief, realizing his move had another motive as well.

“It is, but you know you can pick up the macarons yourself to eat,” you replied with a pout, covering you mouth with the back of your hand.

“I’d prefer to have a different dessert first.” Zayne grasped your wrist and interlocked his fingers with yours. Moving your hand away, he saw your gaze flicking from his eyes and lips. “If that’s alright with you.”

You quickly nodded. He kissed you once more, smiling against your lips as you melted into his touch. Sorting out the luggage and eating the macarons could wait until a little later.

[espace--positif]

Mornings With Him

A collection of husband!Zayne x F!Reader domestic headcanons [Love and Deepspace]

Summary: Mornings are always better shared. Especially with the love of your life. A collection of fluffy snapshots of mornings spent with husband!Zayne. Pairing: Zayne x F!Reader WC: ~2.1K Content tags: Established relationship, Domestic fluff, Fluff, Romance, Mild suggestiveness Read on AO3 // My Masterlist

Ever since you married the love of your life and began living together, your mornings have changed for the better. But things haven’t always been so smooth, on account of a few differences in your lifestyle that made themselves glaringly obvious early on.

For one, Zayne is a morning person, and you’re regrettably not. Not to the extent that he is, anyway. You don’t ever clash on this, but it’s caused some… unforeseen difficulties in the past, especially for your husband.

He’s always been the type of person to be ready a full hour before he has to leave, whereas you’re more likely to be rushing out the door exactly on the dot, if not later. On top of that, he’s also a morning runner. So when he would try to quietly sneak out of bed to begin his rigorous routine every morning and you’d sleepily cling to him, coaxing him back to the warmth of your shared bed with an almost 100% success rate, to the point where he started regularly missing his morning runs, he figured something had to change.

His solution? He’d find a way for the two of you to spend your mornings together, outside of bed.

Thus, he carefully crafts a shared routine for the both of you, easing you into his way of life while easing himself out of the constancy of his own diligence, little by little.

One early morning, as Zayne woefully pulls himself away from your iron grip, he decides to venture towards the kitchen on a mission. He brews two large cups of coffee and returns to your shared bedroom, where he finds you sprawled on his side of the bed, trying to soak up any residual warmth. You lift your gaze, meeting his with sleepy eyes, and he instantly recognizes the look on your face - his betrayal will not be forgiven nor forgotten, especially this early in the morning when you’re less than agreeable on most things. Well, on all things, really.

He sits at the edge of the bed and silently offers a cup — your favorite cup — and you glare for a while before sitting up and grabbing it. It warms your hands, and you start to think about forgiving him for abandoning his duties as your personal heater.

Over the next week, Zayne gradually adds more layers to your shared routine, carving out a space for you in his little tasks. You’ve become less and less insistent on dragging him back to bed by force, knowing that you’ll be rewarded with a delicious coffee delivered straight to you within a few minutes of his departure. Once his peace offering is well received, he wraps your robe around you and takes you by the hand, leading you to sit by the patio window to enjoy your coffee - in the warmer months, you often sit on the porch — and only then does he take the opportunity to complete his run.

There, while listening to birdsong and being caressed by the gentle breeze, you’re thankful for the brief moment of tranquil solitude. Besides, you know that your husband will be back like clockwork, right as you’ve had your last sip. The corners of your lips inevitably tug upwards every time you see him rounding the bend, jogging back to you. It’s as if you’re seeing him for the first time all over again. You stand to meet him halfway through your yard, and he gently kisses your forehead. You wrap your arms around his warm chest, and his embrace feels as comforting as it has ever felt.

You wash your face and brush your teeth while he showers, and vice versa, both of you relishing in the proximity and safety of each others’ presence even while doing something as mundane as getting ready. While you complete the final touches of your routine in the mirror, Zayne works on a simple breakfast. You’ve never been a breakfast person, but after much insistence and lecturing about how it’s the most important meal of the day, you end up caving, graciously accepting anything he offers you in the morning. His prowess at cooking helps too, of course.

Once you’re ready, you sit across from each other at the dining table, where a helping of sometimes egg and toast, sometimes waffles, sometimes fancy greek yogurt, sits waiting for you. There’s often no need for very many words as you share breakfast together. Both of you sit in the solace of each other’s company for a while, comfortable silence occasionally truncated by a comment of yours on how good the food is, or a comment of his on the weather forecast. Eventually, your renewed energy causes conversation to naturally take off, and you end up rambling about mundanities while he listens attentively, as though it’s the most riveting thing in the world.

By the time you’re set to leave, your morning has already brightened, your smile shining brighter than the sun as you offer to tighten your husband’s tie, a ritual he never refuses even though his tie is already in perfect condition. He returns your beaming smile, and finds that his morning has brightened too, more than he ever could have imagined. For a moment, Zayne blissfully contemplates how he would gladly upend his entire mornings, afternoons, evenings, and nights, all at once, in exchange for this view.

Not all mornings are so predictable. In fact, some morning are simply a continuation of a long, long night…

Zayne almost thinks his eyes are deceiving him when he sees your hunched-over form lit up by dancing blue light from the TV screen. When he awoke at four in the morning to an empty and cold bed, he assumed that you fell asleep in front of the lawyer drama you were so captivated with, but he didn’t imagine that you’d still be watching.

He gingerly comes down the steps, socks muffling his movement, and you’re so caught up in your show that you don’t hear him coming. He stands there, amused and baffled all at once, taking in the sight of you. Here sits his wife, normally a pinnacle of responsibility, huddled in a blanket with nothing but her face poking out, eyes bleary with tiredness, but burning with fervent focus at whatever ridiculous plotline is surely unfolding before her. He lets out an incredulous chuckle. The TV volume is almost too low to hear and you’re busy squinting at the subtitles; you’re considerate even in your most unreasonable moments.

“Honey,” he says, breaking the almost-silence.

You slowly turn to face him, a serious expression etched on your face.

“I think Jacob’s gonna cheat… with Anna-Maria,” you say gravely, as if the world hangs in balance.

He makes a mental note never to leave you to your own devices in front of these shows, even if you swear up and down you’ll only watch one more episode before you join him in bed. But for now, he figures you’ll need proper closure on whether Jacob truly plans to cheat on his wife with his legal assistant, and though he’s loath to admit, he’s curious himself, as Jacob always struck him as an honest enough man.

So he plops down next to you, reserving his lecture on your late-night escapade for another time. You unfurl yourself from your blanket-cocoon, wrap the blanket around you both, and snuggle up against him, thankful for the added warmth on this chilly winter morning.

You watch two and a half more episodes together, in which the Jacob storyline wraps up neatly with a bow on top - he was majorly guilty, of course. Zayne turns the TV off when all is said and done, and you sit in silence, processing the somewhat unsatisfying end to the plotline.

“Don’t you think he got off too easy?” you look up with half-lidded eyes and ask Zayne with genuine curiosity. At this point, the show has become entirely too real in your sleepy mind, and you seem to suddenly have a big problems with the gaps in realism. “His wife immediately went to ‘let’s try couples therapy’ and not ‘you’re an asshole and I’m divorcing you.’ She even put some of the blame on herself!”

Zayne can’t help but smile at how serious yet unserious you look right now - it’s frankly adorable.

“Well, Jacob seems to have something called plot armor, so that helped to lessen his sentence.”

You chortle at the clever wordplay, lightly tapping your husband on the chest. Lazily reaching over to pick up your phone, you check the time and let out a groan.

“Oh no. It’s almost six.”

“It sure is,” Zayne replies with a resigned smile.

“And now I’ve kept you up too,” you whine. “Ugh, I’m sorry. We should go get ready.”

But just as you’re about to drag yourself away from him, Zayne pulls you back into his chest.

“Call in.” It’s more of a gentle command than a suggestion.

You contemplate his words for a while, and he hopes that the warm comfort he feels right now, your body against snugly glued to his, will entice you to stay right where you are as much as it’s enticing him.

“I do have a lot of sick days saved up…” you ponder out loud. “Okay, fine, but under one condition.”

Zayne tilts his head at you inquisitively. Conditional capitulation being one of your specialties, he presumes you’re going to drag him through another one of these dramas that you enjoy so much, and that he’s grown to enjoy as well since meeting you (though he would never admit it).

“You call in too,” you say with a mischievous smile. “I stole two whole hours of your beauty sleep, and a certain someone once told me that any less than 8 hours is unhealthy. So let’s just stay right here and nap all day.”

Zayne leans over and plants a gentle kiss on your lips. You have a knack for saying exactly what he wants to hear — yet another one of your specialties.

“Deal.”

Even when you’re on vacation, hundreds of miles away from any and all possible responsibilities, Zayne doesn’t seem to have an off button. He’s up at seven thirty in the morning, and despite your countless nagging about how that’s too early, he’ll insist that it’s far later than his usual, and that it’s perfectly reasonable.

He’s seemingly impervious to jet lag - he’ll tell you all about how good sleep hygiene and optimal nap times contribute to mitigate its effects, though you’re convinced your husband must have some kind of genetic or occupational advantage over you.

Your mornings together begin almost two generous hours after he’s begun his own routine. His 6AM runs are replaced with what he calls a leisurely maintenance routine at the hotel gym. Then, he comes back upstairs to quietly shower off while you’re still dozing, but not before scouting the hotel buffet. This is a very crucial part of his plan for the two of you.

Zayne is thoughtful enough to let you sleep in on vacation, completing the rest of his morning routine as silently as possible, knowing how much you both need the time off. However, once his shower is completed, your time is up. By 9AM, the curtains are flying open, room service is already on the way with coffee, and he’s crawling into the bed you’ve now appropriated as your own, gently but firmly coaxing you awake as you try to cover your eyes in vain. You settle for gluing yourself to his body and using him as a makeshift shield against the bright sun filtering through the window.

“Mmh… ‘s too early,” you mumble into his chest. He smells of hotel soap, and hotel soap has never smelled so good.

“It’s nine in the morning, dear. You’ll stay jet lagged the whole time if we don’t fix that schedule of yours.”

Yeah, yeah, yeah - you’ve heard it all before. But staying right there, on soft plush covers, cuddling with your husband in the morning sun sounds like an awfully good deal in exchange for a little bit of jet lag.

“And the buffet closes at 10:30.”

He never tires of the way your entire body perks up at the magic word. You look up at him, blinking remnants of sleep away, and repeat his words, as if they’re too good to be true.

“Buffet?”

“That’s right.”

“What’s the pastry situation?”

Your suddenly stern face and steadfast determination sends a low rumble of laughter through his chest.

“Full spread. Salty and savoury. Heated on demand.”

You gulp.

“And eggs?”

“However you want them. Unlimited toppings and fillings.”

You practically shove him off and commando-roll out of the queen bed, scurrying around the room to start getting ready. Normally your not-so-gracious dismount from your impromptu cuddle session would’ve earned you a cheeky comment, but as he watches you discard your robe on the bathroom floor, then saunter over to your open luggage to find your “buffet-primed clothes”, as you like to call them, your bare curves basking in the sunlight, he finds that he doesn’t mind your enthusiasm at all.

Thank you for reading! I’ve been thinking about domestic Zayne nonstop so of course I had to write about it. He’s so husband-material coded it’s not even funny. I might write something like this again in the future if I think of more scenarios! 💜

[connorsui]

Every time I do my skincare or I'm putting on some lipstick It makes me imagine either of the lads men watching you from your vanity with great admiration and love in their eyes

It don't matter what you are putting on that makes you look ten times more beautiful than what you already are

They are still going to continue to admire you

Like, I bet Sylus would buy you a better, well lit vanity mirror with different light settings

Or zayne watching you in silence as you continue to touch up on your last bits of foundation

Rafayel would definitely join you in your little skin care routine. Matching head bands? Absolutely.

Xavier? ...tell me why I see this man watching you apply lipstick over and over again as he. Himself is covered in lipstick kisses all over his face and neck?...he don't care tho ..he just waiting for another lipstick color to go on your lips so it goes on his neck next

It's so blantly cute, I adore it

Consui unedited thoughts

[faintrustle]

A Virgo man's kisses are so gentle and precise that you only realize them after he's done.

[cordidy]

Inviting them..

The L&Ds guys reacting to YOU paying for a date 🥰 (cause we like being spoiled but we are strong independant women too !)

It's my first L&Ds HC and english os not my mother tongue so please be nice 🙏

Zayne remains unphased by that. He is a pragmatic after all and while he loves spoiling the shit out of you, he also knows you like to be independant.

Big dates like fancy restaurants or trips will be for him (I mean, he is a doctor ffs) but afternoon coffee or, God forbides, quick unhealthy lunches before the movies or in between work are yours.

Neither of you mention it and it's a very normal thing (although he will never back of from paying if money is tight cause you had an unexpected expenditure)

It was a stupid accident !

Xavier had woken up late for your date and forgotten his wallet in the process. He was MORTIFIED when he realized he did not have any payment method, even more so when he saw you casually take out your own card like it's nothing at all. How could you be ok with him, your knight in shinning armor, using YOUR money ?!

Yet...it kind of feels nice to be provided for right ?

And you look soooooo happy as you tease him for being a "pampered little princess" since you paid for his coffee.

He will make sure to forget his wallet from time to time just to see your happy face.

The waiter starts to actually wonder if he should call an ambulance considering how much Rafayel is dying from laughter.

"You want to pay ?" If a look could kill he would be dead considering how embarrassed you are as you get red as a tomato.

Yes it's a fancy place but, come on, you work !

"Sure sure little Guppy" he adds, pating your head while CRYING as he gives his card to the waiter who doesn't know how to react as you start to pout.

9 for Rafayel - 0 for you still

Sylus LOVES IT.

At first, of course, he doesn't. You are his princess, his world, his everything and all he wants is to spoil the shit out of you as you deserve it just because you grace him with your presence buuuuut....

People are always around him for his money or power....

Even the twins started like this before becoming like annoying little brothers so, when he sees you readying your card in a Linkon coffee to pay for both your drinks, he is, for the first time, throwned off. Even more so as you act like it's the most normal thing in the world. After all, he "paid diner last night in a fancy restaurant and it's just coffee" you shrug off, rolling your eyes.

He will keep spoiling you and paying for basically everything but THIS cafe is your kingdom and whenever you go there, he gets to be "spoiled" (although he bought the place and put the money it makes on a private bank account for you)

[joy-laufeyson]

ZAYNE FIC RECOMMENDATIONS

(reader inserts) recommendations of my favorite headcanons/imagines/fics/scenarios (i don’t own any)

• nsfw! suggestive • nsfw!! mature

sfw / auscultation

fluff / stolen kisses

fluff / love doctor

fluff / early mornings

fluff nsfw!! / doctor, doctor!

nsfw!! / odd request

angst / "you must have me mistaken me with someone else"

fluff / under the weather

fluff / "we'll just have to blame the craftsman, and the moon"

angst fluff / baby blues

angst fluff / a promise

fluff / blue

fluff / the morning after

fluff nsfw!! / pretty wife, happy life

fluff / the lady wife

fluff nsfw!! / absolute zeal

fluff / glasses

fluff / to come home

fluff nsfw!! / know better

fluff / distractions

fluff / chocolate

fluff / fondness in familiarity

fluff nsfw!! / loses all control with you

fluff / touchstarved

angst fluff / for your troubles

fluff / wrapped around her finger

fluff / july

other love and deepspace masterlists

updated:29-january-2025

[umamaki]

NIGHT SHIFT ! zayne x reader

contains: l&ds zayne x reader, she/her pronouns, established relationship, ooc zayne, angst, hurt/no comfort. wc 0.4k

She knows this routine by now. She knows what will happen tonight, as it has many times before. She knows even before the plate she left out for him becomes cold and before her eyes can no longer stay open to see him return.

So she covers up his dinner and tucks herself into an empty bed. She knows that Zayne will come home late tonight, if at all. 

Some nights he’ll join her in bed, even if it’s four in the morning and he has to leave again soon. Some nights she’ll imagine that he did, only to wake up to the house exactly as she had left it. Food untouched, his bedside empty.

And if it doesn’t slip his mind, he’ll send her a text before moving on to his next task of the night. Of course she knows what that will entail: an apology, or explanation, or that he loves her. He had eventually stopped reassuring her that it won’t happen again. 

Her friends tell her it’s what she gets for loving someone with such a grueling career. They tell her that she should’ve known what she was getting into.

She can’t help but wonder if it really is what she deserves. The duvet is pulled to her chin as she stares at her ceiling and thinks. She briefly debates if it’s all worth it before completely shaking the idea out of her head. There was no doubt that Zayne loves her. She can’t blame him for carrying out the obligations of his job, nor can she resent him for it. 

She loves him because of his dedication, his passion. He’s the best in his field and she’s his biggest supporter. 

Isn’t it selfish of her to think this way? To think about how lonely she feels when there are people who need him more than she does? When there are people whose lives depend on him?

She tells herself that she’ll stay for one more night. Just one more. After that, she’ll have a talk with him.

But then he’ll tell her about the elementary student he performed an emergency operation on, about the elderly woman who he knows would get along with her perfectly. 

So she stays. She continues to make two portions of dinner, only for half to go into his lunchbox the next day. And she continues to fall asleep hugging his pillow, pretending that it’s something else. For just one more night. 

[strwbrychffoncke]

"won't you stop with that look on your face?,, 2k words synopsis: zayne & caleb taking care of you..... contains: lnds zayne + caleb x f!reader (she/her used ,mc!coded) ,sick!reader ,worried!caleb ,doctor!zayne moment ,bickering (zayne + caleb) ,one use of "gege" ,you bicker w caleb ,caleb makes u tea ,kinda smug!zayne at the end ,v annoyed caleb LOL ,i think thats it note: (not edited!) another late night braindump of mine (short n sweet this time cause i started falling asleep while writing it lol??) this can be read as a sequel to "baby ,i care for you,, but can also be read by itself :x

-

the door to your cozy home doesn't allow more than three knocks to resound through the hardwood before its swung open for the guest by a certain impatient pilot.

"took you long enough," he frowns at the man standing at the entrance.

"apologies, i still had one last round of check-ins and was in the middle of handling some paperwork when you called. how is she?"

caleb sidesteps from the entrance as zayne maneuvers past him, letting himself inside the familiar home, slipping off his shoes at the doorway. caleb shuts the door before whirling around towards the indifferent doctor.

"in her room, where i've been taking good care of her the past couple of days."

caleb's voice is filled with pride as he leads zayne down the hall (not that he didn't know where it was already after so many years), filling the doctor both wild mild irritation and exasperation.

"you say that, yet you're the one who yelled at me to make a home visit to check on her."

caleb scoffs as they both arrive at your door, caleb gently pushing it open and entering with zayne following close behind.

you're sitting up in bed, sipping on some water when the two men from your childhood walk in, causing you to perk up as much as you can in your fatigued state.

caleb approaches the bed first, mattress dipping as he takes back his seat on the edge where he'd been accompanying you before, patting your head as you recap the bottle.

"doctor's here, finally" he mutters the last word but you catch it, causing a pleasant laugh to bubble up, the sound easing both men's concern for you, if even just slightly.

zayne approaches from the other side, assessing your condition from what he can see- immediately noticing your slightly-shivering form despite the blanket wrapped around your shoulders and comforter scrunched in your lap- before reaching a hand out to lay across your forehead to check your temperature.

"how are you feeling?"

his deep voice is soft, especially soothing to you that you know you could drift off easily if he continued speaking.

"i'm okay, really" you peer up at him, throat still slightly scratchy as you're still recovering from the initial soreness from a few days prior. "gege's just overreacting," you tease, reassuring smile making zayne crack a grin.

"i'm not- you're not fine!" caleb insists before turning to zayne.

"she's been sick for almost a week now, a week! that's way too long!"

"you seem to have a mild fever," zayne tells you, drawing his hand back, continuing to assess your physical condition before he responds to the agitated pilot.

"did you forget that, for how little she falls ill, this is usually the standard?"

his soft touches travel down your neck to your shoulders and down your arms, checking for any discomfort as he continues.

"shouldn't you, of all people, know that the best?"

caleb grits his teeth at the doctor's jab as he watches his hands examine you, looking at the way your shallow breaths escape your parted lips as you glance between the two.

you're only listening to their bickering, but you're too tired to think about intervening right now.

"of course i do, but when she's had an ongoing fever the whole time with congestion, and now a cough with headache and body aches when it first started as a sore throat, do you expect me not to worry?" he spits, pointed gaze aimed straight at zayne.

"it hasn't broken at all?" he looks up at you for an answer.

you're about to speak when caleb answers for you.

"no!"

zayne hums, unraveling the stethoscope from his neck, placing the earpieces in place before sliding the cool metal down your shirt, a small apology escaping him as you shudder at the feeling before checking your heartbeat.

"but it hasn't been consistent in temperature, correct?"

"nope."

zayne urges you to take a deep breath.

"its simply an indication that her body is having some difficulty fighting off the illness. since its gradually gotten better, i wouldn't say its something to worry about."

he moves the stethoscope, urging another deep breath from you.

"but-"

"in any case, for how good her immune system is at keeping her healthy, the drawback is that her body is quite vulnerable when sickness comes, so it usually lasts longer."

he moves the metal to your back to check once more, asking for one more deep breath.

"i understand your worry since her condition worsened before improving. but most of the symptoms have subsided, yes?" he's looking at you again when he asks this, and this time, caleb lets you answer.

you nod quickly before responding properly.

"yes! i had a headache when i woke up today, but it went away really quickly. otherwise, my cough has gotten better, and i'm still struggling with congestion," you unconsciously sniffle, driving your point. "i guess i've still been a little tired too? but i'm feeling much better than before!"

satisfied with his findings of everything being normal and reassured by your own words, zayne smiles down at you before withdrawing the stethoscope, turning his gaze to caleb fully once more.

"i thought you knew her better than anyone, why make a fuss about it all of a sudden?"

caleb's eyes narrow at the jab.

he's doing it on purpose.

"because, she-"

your harsh coughs halt their conversation, sleeved arm coming up to cover your mouth as both men's heads snap towards you.

the coughing fit is gone as quickly as it came, and thats when you notice their concerned gazes boring into you.

"don't you think that cough sounds pretty bad, doctor?"

"it's nothing extreme. you're taking medicine for it, yes?"

you nod.

"yeah," caleb pipes up, jabbing a thumb into his chest before continuing. "i've been giving her medicine for her throat, fevers, and even allergy medicine this entire time."

"he made me take so many pills... save me, zayne~" you sulk up at him; he gives a fond look in return.

"hey, it was for your own good!"

"you tried to feed me six different pills at once!"

"maybe because you needed all of them! do you really expect me to believe you would have taken any medicine on your own?"

zayne sighs at the two of you

just like usual. some things never change...

you huff out a breath, pout adorning your face.

"caleb?"

"hm? yeah?" he perks up, eyes glued to you awaiting your next words.

"can you make me some tea?"

"anything in particular?"

"chamomile?"

"sure thing, i'll be right back," he ruffled your hair again, side eyeing zayne as he passes him before he's out the door.

you let out a sigh, and zayne's eyes are locked onto yours.

"sorry to make you come out here, you must be tired," your words are remorseful, feeling guilty for, in a sense, making him work overtime.

"i told caleb i was fine, but he wouldn't listen. he was actually upset with me at first since i didn't tell him i was sick and had to find out himself when he came home and saw me," you share bashfully, thinking back to his worried expression and stern tone.

"well, i can understand him a bit," zayne's eyes drape over your bundled figure. "a certain hunter likes to think they're invincible, and isn't exactly the best at looking over their health."

"hey! i did take medicine the first two days, y'know?"

"did you take them consistently?"

crap, he got you there.

"well..."

"figures."

"you're so mean!" you whine, but the doctor only chuckles.

"well, if you're saying this, then i have no doubt you'll be fully recovered in another couple of days."

at that moment, caleb steps back in with a slightly steaming mug in hand, slowly walking over the the free side of the bed to hand it to you.

"here you are, pipsqueak, just the way you like it!"

"thank youuu," you smile, reaching out to grip the mug with both hands.

"careful, it may still be a little hot."

you nod, allowing the warmth seeping through the mug to warm your hands before taking a small sip.

a little sigh of relief escapes you, and the three of you engage in quiet conversation, neither man wanting to leave your side quite yet despite knowing that you were completely okay.

-

its later in the evening, your tea long finished, using the last remnants of it to wash down some medicine administered by caleb (who had nudged you before you drifted off, not letting you sleep until you took the medicine for your own good he repeated as you washed them down with the still-warm tea).

after that, it didn't take long for you to doze off to the hushed voices of your two favorite people, breaths evening out as you floated off into the land of dreams.

its silent for awhile after that, two pairs of eyes watching over you when caleb suddenly turns towards zayne.

"so? she's really fine?"

zayne's eyes drift towards the source of the voice.

"yes, so long as she keeps taking her medicine, she'll continue recovering well," he adjusts his glasses before continuing. "and anyway, from the looks of it she just seems to have caught a bad cold. the symptoms can last for a week or so; its really nothing to worry about."

caleb lets out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding.

what a relief.

zayne, figuring its about time to go home himself, stands from his spot, checking that he has everything on him when he speaks up again.

"its not the first time she's gotten sick like this. why were you so worried this time?"

caleb thinks for a long moment before settling on his answer.

"seeing her so weak and tired was just so..." he trails off, eyes taking on a distant look in them. "it'd just been awhile. even if i knew she would be fine, it was just.."

zayne nods, understanding crossing his features.

"i know what you mean." he glances over at your peaceful slumbering figure once again. "at least she had you to take care of her. who knows what her condition may be if she were left alone like this?"

caleb clicks his tongue at the thought.

"terrible, that's for sure. she really can't be trusted to take care of herself, especially not when she's sick."

"i'll be on my way now. even though the chances are low, if anything changes, don't hesitate to call me."

"sure," caleb nods, standing from his spot as well as he begins walking zayne to the door.

"thanks for coming over and checking her out."

"its no problem, it puts my own mind at ease as well."

zayne slips on his shoes before speaking up again.

"i'll check back in tomorrow. try not to fuss to much until then."

"ha-ha, whatever you say, doctor zayne."

"and next time, maybe don't yell so loudly through the line. i was momentarily concerned for my eardrums, and it certainly couldn't have been good for her headaches."

caleb feels irritation replacing the gratitude he'd felt just moments ago.

"sure, i'll keep that in mind."

zayne adjusts his sleeves before speaking again.

"though, since you know her best, i'm sure you could figure out what's good for her and what isn't, especially when she's like this."

the faintest smirk curls on the edge of zayne's lips at the growing scowl on caleb's face.

"you-!"

"well then, i'll see you in the morning. goodnight."

zayne's exit is curt as he exits through the door, all too satisfied at the reactions he drew out of caleb.

on the other hand, the deepspace pilot wanted to yell in frustration (though, managed to refrain from doing so at the reminder that you were fast asleep just a few doors down).

instead, only an annoyed groan escapes his throat as he clenches his fists, one singular thought circulating his mind:

that guy was really so annoying!

-

a/n: almost completely recovered ,this idea came to me after seeing sm posts ab zayne/caleb beef or everyone hoping that their beef would be crazy LOL -

[ahirusstuff]

Caleb is back!!

love and deepspace men x fem!reader

very very short smau

[strwberri-milk]

How would Xavier, Zayne and Rafayel react if we asked them to set us up with Jeremiah, Greyson and Thomas? In this scenario we're single and not into any of the LIs (but they don't know)

these kinda feel ooc but i kjinda like them anyway LMAOO let them be. mean and bitter bc thats how I feel whenever im rejected LMAOO

Xavier is pissed. He doesn't really show you the brunt of his anger but you can see he's...displeased with the way he just barely entertains the question. He'll ask if you really want him to get you with Jeremiah and if you really think that a guy like that is deserving of your attention. Somehow, despite how harsh the words themselves are his soft voice betrays their venom and you can delude yourself into thinking he's just being dramatic or making fun of his close friend.

You wouldn't be able to use Xavier to get to Jeremiah at all. He won't go out of his way to stop you from hanging out with him if you don't tell him you're going to see him but he makes his disapproval known at any given moment in time. You'd have to seek out the object of your affections independent of Xavier but when he sees the two of you together his gaze darkens and he observes from the sidelines.

Ultimately, he does want your happiness so he'll keep his thoughts to himself. However, you know he isn't happy about the fact you're seeing Jeremiah but you can't understand why. It's not because the man is treating you poorly - it's just because Xavier wants you. The fact that he can't have you vexes him but he's also not wanting to admit this to you. He grows distant with Jeremiah but if you ask him to spend time with you he finds it hard to say no. He'll always be longing for you, praying that you'll return his feelings but with every day that passes he knows the chance of it happening dies.

Zayne doesn't know how to respond. He asks you a little about your feelings for Greyson, trying to understand just how much you like the man. When it's clear that just the simple act of introducing him to you would make you happy he decides to do it despite every part of his body screaming no. He loves you and he wants you but he also knows he'd never forgive himself for getting in the way of your happiness.

It would take him a second honestly to muster up the mental energy to ask Greyson if he'd like to meet you. He mentions that a friend of his would like to meet him and internally, he's devastated when Greyson says yes, setting up a time and place for the two of you to meet.

As your relationship with him develops Zayne finds himself wishing he could retract. He loves you and he always will but seeing you so happy with someone that isn't makes his heart break. He doesn't go out of his way to avoid you two but he also doesn't really hang out with the two of you either. He tries to keep himself neutral as much as possible, not letting his personal feelings bleed into his professional life.

Honestly, it seems as though he doesn't have a personal life. He throws himself into work now that you don't have as much time to be with him. He doesn't really mind being too busy for other things but a part of him misses when he could spend all his free time with you. You'd start to see less and less of him, Greyson telling you that he's just busy all the time. You miss him too but you know he is a busy man, the two of you falling out of touch as time passes at an agonizingly slow pace for him.

Rafayel wouldn't introduce you to Thomas for similar reasons to Xavier. He doesn't think Thomas deserves you so you'd have to circumvent Rafayel which is fairly easy considering how often Thomas comes by his place for work and how often Rafayel insists you have to come over.

It's best to speak to Thomas whenever Rafayel is in the midst of an elaborate painting considering he'll leave you alone as all of his attention is taken up. That's when the two of you would bond and your relationship would grow, much to Rafayel's displeasure. He notices what's happening and would make subtle hints (read: complain loudly) about how you deserve someone better than Thomas. He tries to steal your attention but the more it fails the meaner he seems to get.

Thomas finds himself either fired or demoted but thanks to the fact that he's been able to work with Rafayel for so long he finds new work quickly. You want to scold Rafayel for being so petty but the man you find isn't the one you grew to know. This one is cold and almost cruel, never outwardly saying anything mean to you but you get the sense that he's keeping quiet for your sake.

He can't help but lash out, deciding he doesn't need this anymore. He'll decide that he doesn't need you (and he's fully lying to himself), resigning himself fully back to feeling that ever permeating pain that seeps itself into every part of his being. He was already used to the longing before - he'll do it again.

[myntrose]

I think I wanna marry you !

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ where the l&ds boys heard you call them your husband, even though he hasn't ask the big question yet

a/n : yall showed so much love for the last fic so I wanted to make another one !! a bit repetitive but it's ok 🩷

content warning : fluff, crack, lots of teasing from the boys, not proof read, fem! reader (reader is referred to as wife), established dating

ft : Zayne, Xavier, Rafayel, Sylus x reader (separately)

₊˚｡⋆❆⋆｡˚₊ zayne

𓆩✧𓆪 xavier

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 rafayel

𓅂:.｡. slyus

@myntrose - do not copy or translate

[odoraful]

𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐄.ᐟ (𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐞𝐭)

zayne is known for enjoying desserts, but there’s a sweet he hasn’t tried yet that he’s been craving.

⟡ content: zayne x gn!reader; early stage of the established relationship; first kiss; very sweet (both literally and figuratively); reader being flustered and zayne being bold; you basically live in zayne's mind 24/7; sfw; 1.6k

⟡ a/n: i was listening to day 6's song chocolate and inspiration struck me (>\\<) like "i often imagine when i kiss you, i'm curious about how it would feel... i can't control my heart, i think there's another me inside me" WAAH i thought it was fitting for zayne!

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

It wasn’t typical of Zayne to be indulgent. Everything was done with careful moderation and consideration, from purchasing clothing to committing to exercise. However, when it came to desserts, all the rules he set up were scrubbed from his memory. No one suspected that the cardiac surgeon had such a strong sweet tooth. That was until his co-workers saw him at the bakery near the hospital one day, contemplating seriously about which new flavour of cake to get. To everyone’s surprise, he had ended up buying a slice of each one.

Anything sweet had a way of bypassing his self-control, which, naturally, meant you as well.

Taking a moment to himself in his office between appointments, Zayne reached for the cellophane bag of cookies sitting by his computer. The red string around the bag also held a tag with careful handwriting. It read:

Roses are red, jasmines are white, I made these with love, I hope you’ll take a bite.

Beneath the message was a cutely drawn face of you winking. Even though he had read this about 20 times since you dropped it off to him before you went to work, he still breathed a small laugh and shook his head. He unravelled the string, putting the tag safely in his pocket. The cookies inside were shaped like snowflakes and frosted blue and and white. He admired the design for a moment before taking a bite.

Imagining you preparing this made him smile. You had probably woken up earlier than usual to bake them fresh, putting on your apron with a determined look on your face. Each ingredient would be carefully measured, and as much as you would want eat the raw dough, his voice of caution would pop into your head about the dangers of uncooked eggs and flour. Once they were baking, you would finish by making the icing, dying it blue. He could imagine how you’d dip your finger into the bowl, bringing the mixture to your mouth. The blue would be a contrast against your rosy lips as you licked them to savour the taste.

That image of you stayed in Zayne’s head for longer than he intended.

He finished off a second cookie. It had a satisfying texture, the icing sugary and smooth.

Would your lips taste as sweet as this?

The thought came so naturally that he didn’t think anything unusual of its presence. There would probably still be some icing left on your lips, and he would simply lean in to—

Zayne cleared his throat.

The sound broke the silence of his office and banished the trespassing thought.

Only two weeks into this relationship, and he was fantasising like a high school boy at his work. You always had been a permanent fixture in his thoughts, but now it all felt so real. He no longer thought of you as his partner in hypotheticals. Being able to kiss you, and taste the sweetness on your lips wasn’t a dream anymore. Now, the real concern was the appropriate when and where.

He tied the bag closed, saving the rest to bring home. His break was over, and he had to continue on with work. Though he had finished his dessert long ago, the taste of vanilla icing lingered on his tongue for the rest of the day.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

”Earth to Zayne~ can you hear me?”

Zayne turned to you. Your head was titled to the side, an expectant look on your face.

Though it was a weekend morning, both of you were on the sofa completing the remaining piece of your respective work—him finishing his recommendations for a patient, and you filling out a case report for your recent hunter excursion.

“Yes, I can hear you,” he replied, matter-of-factly.

You narrowed your eyes in playful suspicion. “Hm, and what about the past two times I called you?”

Zayne adjusted his glasses. “I must have been focused on my report.”

His reason would have been convincing enough, if not for your keen senses. Despite his unchanging expression, you weren’t mistaken seeing the tips of his ears turn red.

You sorted your documents back into the folder, and placed it to the side.

“You stopped typing on your laptop and sort of stared into your screen for a minute. It was very un-Zayne like I must say,” you remarked as a half-joke.

Seeing just how observant you were towards him filled him with inexplicable pride.

“Is everything okay?” you asked, tone softening.

He paused for a moment, considering his next words. Closing the window to his document and shutting his laptop, he gave his full attention to you.

“Actually, something has been on my mind.”

With a concerned frown, you crossed your legs together, sitting in a more comfortable position to listen to him. Though, you could have never predicted what your boyfriend would say next.

”I was thinking about moving our relationship to the next stage.”

Heat rushed to your cheeks. Stuttered sounds came out of your mouth. When you realised you could form no words, you covered your face with your hands. What could he possibly mean by that!? Suddenly, you felt quite conscious about where you were seated. If Zayne reached out to his left, he could easily wrap his arm around your waist. And, you knew the purple loungewear you had on wasn’t the most alluring clothing you had.

“The next stage?” you repeated in a much higher pitch than you intended.

He nodded, giving no apparent indication that he noticed the fluster you were in. He seemed too calm. Perhaps you were drawing the wrong conclusion too quickly.

“If it’s alright with you, I”—Zayne stopped his sentence short. “Could you… close your eyes for me?”

You blinked at him.

“Ohh,” you sounded with understanding, “is this some kind of surprise? Are you giving me a present?”

He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “One might call it that.”

Even though his reply to your question was quite ambiguous, you happily closed your eyes. You heard a small sound to the side, guessing that he had placed something on the table. Of course, it was natural for couples to give gifts that signified the seriousness of the relationship. Maybe he bought some jewellery or a precious keepsake, you innocently pondered.

Zayne took a last look at your awaiting face. Eyes closed, lips glossy from the balm you just applied.

The sofa shifted. The weight of his body dipped the cushion beneath you. His close presence made your senses prickle. The jasmine and mint scent of his cologne now enveloped you.

When is he going to let me open my eyes?

“Zayne.”

You breathed out his name before you felt warmth against your lips.

Your eyes shot open.

Zayne had taken off his glasses (which you now realised was what that previous sound had been) and he was kissing you. Kissing you for the very first time.

Your brain and body were at odds with each other.

Your muscles froze, but you also didn’t want to pull away. Not when he initiated something you had spent so long daydreaming about, but never had the courage to do. Noticing this, Zayne raised his hand to your face. His thumb gently caressed your cheek. A silent signal that communicated a message of reassurance. It’s alright, you can relax, you seemed to hear his smooth voice in your head. Tension melted away. In exchange, your heartrate picked up. Closing your eyes once again, you let the sensation wash over you.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Time seemed to stand still and move too fast all at once.

Zayne slid his hand down to rest at the base of your neck. Your skin felt hot against his cool fingertips.

Admittedly, he was out of practice, and the worry of doing this wrong flashed in his mind. But, when you eased into his touch, lips parting to invite more of him in, everything fell into place.

Vanilla frosting… I was right, he thought.

You were sweeter than any dessert he had tried in his life. One taste would not be enough after this. You had become a dangerous craving to him now.

Zayne withdrew, staying close to your face. Your eyes fluttered open, blinking slowly as if waking from a stupor. You were greeted with his green and amber gaze, his clear satisfaction illuminated by the morning sun pouring through the curtains behind you. Before you was a version of him you had never seen.

“Y-you’re too bold, Zayne,” you murmured.

The breath you had held during the kiss caught up to you. Your exhales lightly brushed against his skin as he stared at your lips—flushed like the colour of raspberry sorbet. He scanned every part of your expression, desperately needing to memorise your face in this moment. Everything about you was utterly perfect.

“I’m sorry for catching you off guard.”

You shook your head, the bangs of his hair brushing against your forehead. Only Zayne could blindside you with such a storybook kiss, and then apologise for it.

“You occupy my thoughts all the time,” he continued, a rasp in his voice as he whispered. “It’s unfathomable and quite distracting.”

You chuckled, the sound melodious to his ears. “I didn’t know a chief surgeon could be so easily distracted.”

Zayne smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling with mirth.

“When the surgeon has someone he likes a lot,” he closed the distance, leaning his forehead against yours, “he often wonders how sweet they would taste.”

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[espace--positif]

A Taste of Home

A Zayne x Reader Shortfic [Love and Deepspace]

Summary: Perhaps all things did eventually have to end. This dreamlike holiday season certainly would. But for now, you could allow yourself to savor each moment, one cookie at a time. Pairing: Zayne x Reader WC: ~1.7k Content tags: holiday fluff, domestic fluff, baking, humor, implied sex

Read on AO3 // Masterlist

A sweet, spicy, and warm aroma wafted through the apartment, coaxing you away from the article plastered on your computer screen. It was an unmistakable scent — Zayne was baking again. Your stomach rumbled in response to the call of the delicious scent. Your eyes lingered on line after line of text as you tried to wrangle yourself back into focus, your feet already swinging away from the desk towards his bedroom’s doorframe. It had become your bedroom too, over the last few days.

It was meant to be a single movie night at his apartment to commemorate the holidays and the first evening you’d been able to spend together in weeks. You’d been missing him terribly, and you didn’t need to guess whether he’d felt the same — he’d paused the movie mere minutes after the title screen, and you’d made up for the lost time by getting lost in each other, moments of bliss punctuated by heated kisses full of longing and fervor as snow piled softly outside. And you’d stayed the next morning, and the next, until the days blurred into one, like an unending dream.

You knew that this blissful time would come to an end, of course, as all things did, when the haze of the holiday season would inevitably dissipate and you’d be thrown back into your usual routine. That arduous routine that would find you facing wanderers and him performing tedious surgeries, away from each other. But for the moment, you’d let yourself grow comfortable in the constancy of his presence, let yourself grow accustomed to the somewhat cold and austere decor of these halls that betrayed none of the warmth they made you feel.

You’d injected some of that warmth in yourself, in the form of bright, neatly weaved garlands of LED lights you’d hung up on any wall that could accommodate them, and pillowy soft fake snow you’d set underneath the tiny — and also fake — tree you’d been surprised to find Zayne had already put up near the decorative fireplace. You’d lightly goaded him on his unexpected display of a festive spirit as you laid out the cotton candy-like snow, an observation he’d dodged by rebutting that he could have made more believable fake snow using his Evol. You’d quipped that actually decorating was half the fun. And besides, you enjoyed leaving small marks of yourself in his apartment in the form of decorations and trinkets. He didn’t seem to mind, as you’d always find them exactly where you left them, even months later. Small, yet indelible.

Another whiff of the enticing aroma, full of cinnamon and spice and vanilla, pulled you from soft reminiscence, and you were decidedly drawn away from your computer. Your slippers softly tapped beneath your feet as you sauntered down the stairs and slid into the kitchen, where the oven’s warmth emanated from. As you’d expected, you found Zayne pulling a tray of golden brown cookies from the oven. He was dressed in a dark grey wool sweater, one of the many you’d gifted him, and his sharp features basked in the soft glow of the warm overhead lights. A small smile adorned his lips as he beheld his cookies, and he looked gentler than a soft winter’s breeze. You stood in the doorframe for a moment, savoring the picture in front of you, before another rumble of your stomach urged you to savor some of the tasty treats now laid out on a cooling rack on the counter. The sound drew Zayne’s attention to you, and he let out a soft chuckle.

“Hungry, are we?” he said as he discarded his oven mitts.

“How could I not be?” you replied. “This entire place smells like a bakery.”

You stepped past Zayne as casually as you could, your hand softly grazing his back as you closed the distance between you and the object of your stomach’s desires. You stole a glance at him as you approached the rack; he was tidying mixing bowls and measuring cups from the countertop, and so you figured this was your opportunity to strike.

“Wait,” came his voice, soft yet firm. “They’re hot. Let them cool.”

“You don’t even know what I’m doing. I’m just looking at them!” you protested.

You heard Zayne hum over the slight clatter of metal bowls. “I know what you’re doing. You’re going to try and eat them when my back is turned, then you’re going to burn your tongue.”

Guilty. That had been your exact plan, tongue burning and all. It was a price you were always ready to pay when it came to freshly baked goods, and Zayne unfortunately knew you well enough to stop you in your tracks.

“I’m just admiring the artistry, honest,” you lied, a playful smile coloring your words.

“Is that so?” Zayne moved closer to you, towards the sink, dishes in tow. “And what grade does my artistry earn me this time?”

For the first time, you actually stopped to look at the cookies. You’d noticed their... peculiar shape earlier, but you’d been too enamored with their enticing smell to really pay attention to anything else. Now, you could see that each cookie was meticulously hand-crafted into some sort of animal, with chocolate chunk dotted eyes, a globular head, rounded ears (or extremely curly hair?), and a questionable large appendage at their side. They were all almost carbon copies of each other, and you admired how he’d managed to make them so faithful to each other. Other than that, you had no idea what to make of the bizarre yet endearing cookies.

Zayne must have noticed your silence, as he swiftly shut off the sink and turned to face you and the countertop that housed his creation. You realized you were squinting at the display and immediately straightened. “Uh, it’s a high score. The highest!”

Zayne narrowed his eyes as he moved towards you after drying his hands on a towel. His arm settled comfortably around your waist as he stared at his cookies from behind you, gaze seemingly second-guessing. Oh, you were laying it on far too thick.

“They’re cute. They’re, uh…”

You trailed off, hoping he would finish your sentence and enlighten you on exactly what you were looking at.

Zayne’s sharp gaze turned back to you. “Yes, what are they?”

Good lord, you had no idea. ‘Alien’ was frankly your first guess, but you refrained from verbalizing it.

“Animals…” you chanced.

“Yes.”

“B-bears?”

Zayne let out a dramatic sigh, and pinched his temples with his free hand. “No.”

It was all you could do not to let out an exasperated sigh of your own. The not-bears stared at you, chocolate eyes silently chastising you.

“Look at the tails,” said Zayne.

Baffled and wondering where you were meant to be seeing said tails, you failed to suppress a giggle. And at that, Zayne’s lips pursed into a small pout. “You have no idea what they are, do you?”

The genuine incredulity in his voice combined with the army of identical yet nondescript blobby cookie-creatures staring at you turned suppressed giggles into a fit of laughter. You tried to stop yourself from laughing, but the floodgates were already open. It wasn’t long before you felt Zayne’s own rumbling laughter at your back, and the sound warmed you more than the sweltering heat of the oven ever could. You laughed together for a while, fits occasionally quieting down until you dared to look at the cookies again and they’d start back up.

After a while, the spell finally broke, and you sighed contentedly in between small chuckles. Zayne’s hand traced light circles into the soft fabric of your hoodie as you leaned into the warmth of his body. It had been so easy to fall into this blissful domesticity, so natural, so comfortable, that you wondered how you’d ever let it go.

“They are cute. I never lied about that,” you said gently, voice barely above a whisper. Then, suddenly reminded of your original mission, you quickly swiped one of the cookies and bit at the appendage. It almost melted in your mouth, a delicious swirl of cinnamon, chocolate, and perfectly crisped brown sugar lighting up your taste buds. “Mm, and they’re delicious! That’s all that matters, Zayne.”

You raised the cookie to his mouth and he bit into what was meant to be its head. An approving hum left his lips as he savored his creation. You almost inhaled the rest of the cookie, and as you reached for another one, Zayne broke the comfortable silence with a single word. “Clopidogrel.”

The gears in your head ground to life, your eyes widening with recognition.

“Squirrels!” you exclaimed far too late.

It all made sense now: the appendage was meant to be a large tail, and the little niblets of dough at the cookies’ heads were small ears. Granted, the shapes and proportions were all wrong, a detail you attributed to dough expanding when baking, or perhaps Zayne’s memory of the actual anatomy of a squirrel being less than reliable. Regardless, you knew for sure you never could have guessed that the cookies were meant to represent your mutual, nut-loving, questionably named friend from Akso Hospital.

“Next time, I’ll just make them into circles.”

“Mm. No, I think you just need more experimentation,” you mumbled between mouthfuls of cookie. “The shape language could use some work, you know.”

“You just want me to make more cookies,” Zayne frowned in mock annoyance.

“Is that really so bad? You get to eat them too, you know,” you smiled, reaching for your third, or fourth, or perhaps sixth cookie. You’d lost count.

“Then next time, you get to make them with me,” he mumbled warmly into your ear. “Maybe they’ll turn out better with your expert artistry.”

“Deal,” you replied, turning your head to face him. You couldn’t help but bring your hand up to trace the contour of his jaw, suddenly enamored with this moment, this warmth that you weren’t willing to let go of. He leaned down and planted an unhurried kiss on your lips, and it tasted of cinnamon and chocolate and perfectly crisped brown sugar.

Yes, perhaps all things did eventually have to end. This dreamlike holiday season certainly would. But for now, you could allow yourself to savor each moment, one cookie at a time.

Note: This is inspired by the very first time we get to meet Zayne in LADS, and MC mentions how he made her little “snowballs” when they were younger. But they were actually seals! I remember thinking Zayne looked offended, so I can imagine he gets quite sensitive about his little creations lol. Thanks for reading, and happy holidays <3

[connorsui]

"So we’ve all seen the trend that goes: 'The plushie I gave her' vs. 'The plushie she gave me,' and it’s literally a baby, right?

I can’t help but imagine a little moment where all the special plushies you collected with them become part of your baby’s life. Like, just think for a second—what if you added those plushies to the nursery? Or gave your baby a small plushie to hold, like a teddy bear, and it became their favorite toy—their childhood toy they can’t grow apart from?"

That same plushie you got from the arcade from either of the lads men is now a special toy that your child takes with them everywhere: to bed ...outside ..to eat ..to play ..I mean hell that poor plushie has gone absolutely everywhere and it's dirtier than anything else.

But your baby loves them ..they adore them ..they even gave them a name ..they gave them a story..they have their own little adventures ..your baby doesn't know it was a gift from their father to you ..they just know it's their bestfriend that's been there since forever 🩷